11 Georgia Outdoor Wonders Captured on the Big Screen

From Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah to Toccoa Falls in Toccoa, Georgia landscapes have been major players in feature films and television shows for decades. Here are a few outdoor locations you're sure to recognize.

Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah

Made famous in the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," Bonaventure Cemetery is the eternal home of several noteworthy individuals, including Academy Award-winning lyricist Johnny Mercer; his uncle, Hugh W. Mercer, a Civil War Army officer and Confederate general; and novelist and poet Conrad Aiken. Located in Savannah on a scenic bluff east of the Wilmington River, the cemetery was originally established on Bonaventure Plantation in the late 1700s. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., with walking tours offered every second Sunday.

Chattooga River in Northeast Georgia

Local paddlers Claude Terry and Payson Kennedy knew the Chattooga River better than most in 1971 and became the main advisors and stunt men during the filming of "Deliverance." Standing in for Ned Beatty and Burt Reynolds, they spent many hours canoeing and swimming rapids. Following filming, Payson Kennedy opened the Nantahala Outdoor Center on the Nantahala River in Bryson City, N.C. The following year, he began running trips on the Chattooga, as well.

Claude Terry bought the rafts and other river equipment from Warner Brothers and began running Southeastern Expeditions out of his home in Atlanta. Several years later, he opened an outpost in Clayton, one mile from the river.

Today, three different outfitters — Southeastern Expeditions, Nantahala Outdoor Center and Wildwater Chattooga Adventure Center — all run professionally guided trips on the “Wild and Scenic” Chattooga River, one of the South’s most precious resources.

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega

"Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" features Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega in the exterior scene in District 13 where Katniss and Gale encounter the elk while hunting. The Chestatee Wildlife Preserve is open every day and is home to a great variety of rescued animals: cockatoo, alligator, ball python, tortoise, bearded dragon, hedgehog, lions, tigers, leopards and more. Chestatee Wildlife Preserve is a Georgia 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation staffed by volunteers.

Chippewa Square in Savannah

The original bench Tom Hanks (as "Forrest Gump") rests on with his box of chocolates at the edge of Chippewa Square in Savannah now resides in the Savannah History Museum. But, the square remains a popular destination for visitors, both film and history buffs. There is seating and plenty of good shopping close by, so it's definitely worth a stop!

Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain is the world's largest piece of exposed granite, and it is the centerpiece of the 3,200-acre Stone Mountain Park. With miles of walking and jogging trails, a beach, golf, paddle boats, a train and much more, the park is a popular destination for families across the metro Atlanta area. In the 2007 film "Stomp the Yard," the crew runs up the mountain while training for the big dance competition. In the 1996 film "Fled," Stephen Baldwin and Lawrence Fishburne fight in the Summit Skyride buckets while riding to the top of the mountain. The TV pilot for JJ Abrams' "Revolution" also filmed in the park, as did "The Vampire Diaries" and feature film "The Killing Season."

Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville

Spectacular scenery and hiking trails make Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge in Dawsonville one of Georgia's most popular state parks. At 729 feet, Amicalola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast. Visitors have choices on how to best view the tumbling waters, ranging from an accessible pathway to a challenging trail with staircases. An 8.5-mile trail leads from the park to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail.

Numerous other trails provide shorter day hikes. A mountain-top lodge is popular, and the lobby area can be seen in the Robert Redford and Nick Nolte movie “A Walk in the Woods.” The park's Maple Restaurant is known for its spectacular views and Sunday brunch buffet. For those seeking adventure, a 5-mile hike leads to the Len Foote Hike Inn, Georgia's only backcountry lodge.

Berry College in Rome

Founded by Martha Berry in Rome in 1902, Berry College is the world's largest college campus and boasts historic buildings and homes of many architectural styles. Sites include one of the world's largest wooden overshot waterwheels, historic chapels and miles of mountain trails for hiking and biking. Several feature films, including "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Remember the Titans," were filmed on this magnificent campus. Campus is open daily during daylight hours. 

Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs

Sweetwater Creek State Park is just outside of Atlanta but an entire world away from the city. Georgia has beautiful creeks and shoals all over the place, but Sweetwater Creek is one of the few locations that also has the ruins of an old mill. The combination of these features made an excellent location to film scenes with Katniss and Gale out hunting in District 13 in the third installment of The Hunger Games series, “Mockingjay Part 1.”  

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Folkston

Scenes in the 1971 film "Swamp Girl" were filmed in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Folkston. The movie's depiction of the swamp doesn't match the refuge's perspective. Everyone at the time thought the swamp was scary, bad, dreary, full of alligators and snakes – and not what it actually is. It's beautiful out there. The Okefenokee Refuge is popular with paddlers, nature photographers, hunters and fishermen. Canoeists can follow water trails deep into the 354,000-acre wilderness, and visitors can tour a restored homestead to discover how “swampers” once made their home here.  

Toccoa Falls in Toccoa

Toccoa Falls College encompasses the whole of Toccoa Falls. This beautiful waterfall is 188 feet high and is commonly said to be the highest single drop waterfall east of the Mississippi, and is located only a few miles outside of downtown Toccoa. In 1977, torrential rains breached the Kelly Barnes Dam, sending a 30-foot wave of water through the campus and killing 39 people. The falls offer a reflection of both the beauty and the savagery of mother nature. Most recently, "Heritage Falls," which was shot entirely in Toccoa, used the falls in a scene.

Tybee Island

Georgia's Tybee Island was the backdrop for Disney's 2009 movie “The Last Song,” which was based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Many of the movie scenes are readily identifiable.

Tybee Island is a barrier island on the Georgia coast, 20 minutes east of Savannah. Offering a relaxed lifestyle within an unspoiled habitat, Tybee has miles of beaches, salt marshes, and other natural resources and wildlife to explore, including sea turtles, endangered birds and nature trails for hiking. 

History and culture buffs will enjoy Fort Screven, Fort Pulaski, the Tybee Lighthouse and Museum, Cockspur  Island Lighthouse, and nearby Savannah. There is also the Marine Science Center, Tybee Pier & Pavilion and Little Tybee Island.

More Georgia Film Fun Facts

Check out these did-you-know facts and share them with your fellow film buffs. 

• Georgia-lensed movies "X-Men: First Class," "Zombieland,” "The Blind Side,” “Hall Pass,” “Fast 5,” “Identity Thief,” “Prisoners,” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” all opened at No. 1 at the box office.
   
• Four of Tyler Perry’s made-in-Georgia films have opened at No. 1 at the box office: "Madea's Family Reunion," "Why Did I Get Married?,” “I Can Do Bad All By Myself,” and "Madea Goes to Jail."
   
• “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” often used two multiple Georgia venues as one film location, such as The Pullman Yard and The Goat Farm for District 12; service areas of the Georgia World Congress Center and the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Quarter Quell chariot parade; and both the state-owned Murphy Avenue warehouses and the interior of the old Norfolk Southern Railroad offices downtown for the Justice Building.
   
• Cotton fields in Marshallville, Georgia, were shot for the agricultural areas of District 11 in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
   
• "Flight" was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2013, including Best Actor (Denzel Washington) and Best Original Screenplay. "The Blind Side" was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2009, including Best Picture and Best Actress in a Leading Role (Sandra Bullock, winner).
   
• Both “Joyful Noise” and “Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story” filmed pivotal performance scenes at the Atlanta Civic Center.
   
• “Prisoners” shot largely in Conyers, Lithonia and Stone Mountain, though they moved into East Point for a couple of home interiors and the Fulton Medical Center.
   
• Wild Adventures amusement park in Valdosta was the location of the climactic zombie fight in "Zombieland."
   
• The 2005 HBO feature "Warm Springs" garnered 16 Emmy nominations with eight Georgians represented in six categories. It ended up winning five Emmys, including three presented to Georgians. Filming locations included Warm Springs, Gainesville, Atlanta, Madison and Summerville.
   
• Crawfordville has been host to more than 13 feature films and television movies, including "Get Low," "Sweet Home Alabama," "The Neon Bible," "Stars and Bars" and "The Coward of the County."
   
• Savannah has been host to dozens of feature film and television projects, including "Forrest Gump," "Glory," "The Last Song," "The Conspirator," "The Legend of Bagger Vance," "The Gift," "Forces of Nature" and "The General’s Daughter."
   
• "Deliverance" was filmed primarily in Rabun County and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012. The film is credited for giving birth to the whitewater rafting industry in North Georgia.
   
• Columbus hosted a major car stunt on the Chattahoochee River bridge in “Need For Speed,” as well as "The Fighting Temptations" which filmed at the River Center for the Performing Arts.
   
• Covington has been home to dozens of feature and television projects, including the hit TV series "The Vampire Diaries" and "In the Heat of the Night."
   
• Rome hosted "Sweet Home Alabama" as well as "The Mosquito Coast," "Remember the Titans" and "Class of '61."
   
• Americus was host to the TV movie "To Dance with the White Dog."
   
• The small town of Juliette was revitalized when "Fried Green Tomatoes" was largely shot in that community. The Whistle Stop Café still functions as a tourist attraction.
   
• “Sweet Home Alabama” used the rolling hills of the Georgia International Horse Park’s former Olympic Equestrian Eventing area (Bald Rock Meadows) for scenes featuring Civil War re-enactors. The original jumps from the 1996 Olympic Games dot the serene natural landscape, adjacent to the multi-area facility in Conyers. It was also the site of the first ever Olympic mountain biking course—over eight miles long—still open for public riding daily.
   
• Downtown Conyers was transformed into New Orleans’ French Quarter for several months as “Vampire Diaries” spinoff “The Originals” filmed there. Vacant storefronts were dressed as nightclubs, voodoo shops, and more, no doubt puzzling many tourists.
   
• In the movie "Flight," Denzel Washington’s character meets with his lawyer, played by Don Cheadle, over breakfast at the St. Regis hotel’s daily executive buffet.
   
• The lead actor of "The Blind Side," Quinton Aaron, almost lost his home to foreclosure before being told he was cast in the blockbuster film. He was so desperate for work that he gave director John Lee Hancock his card after the audition. Quinton revealed: "I told him, 'I know that I'm probably not going to get this movie. But I do security guard work and if you guys need a security guard on the set, I would love the job. I need the job.”
   
• Jennifer Aniston became a big fan of Clarkesville, Georgia, after shooting "Wanderlust" on location in the North Georgia mountains. Stated Aniston, "Going to Clarkesville gave me a huge change—it was an eye opener. It was the greatest experience because I felt like I gained my anonymity back. When I got there I felt my body decompress and relax. I was like, 'God, I'm so paranoid and pent up.' The toxic clutter was just alleviated. It was a nice feeling, and I took it home with me.”
   
• Tim Burton’s remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" used a home in Buford to serve as the home of Violet Beauregard, the gum chewer. 
   
• The main vampire lair for the hit television series "The Vampire Diaries" was Glenridge Hall in Sandy Springs. Because they used the location so often, they eventually recreated the interior of the home on their sound stages in Decatur.
   
• After the 2000 film "The Legend of Baggar Vance" was released, so many patrons visited the Jekyll Island Club to have a drink at the "lobby bar," which had been built and then removed by the film company, that the Club recreated it for patrons to enjoy.
   
• Three generations of the Zanuck family produced films in Georgia: Darryl Zanuck produced Jean Renoir’s "Swamp Water," his son Richard produced "Driving Miss Daisy" and his grandson Dean produced "Get Low."
   
• Georgia Tech doubled as the Google headquarters in the Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson comedy "The Internship," their first film together since the blockbuster hit "The Wedding Crashers."